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The Traditional Boarding School House System in UK Schools

Hello! My name is Mr Roberts and I am a Teacher of History at Whitgift School and I was also the Director of Welfare at the summer school from 2016-2018. For those students who attended Whitgift Summer School in the past, the phrase ‘Ladies and Gentleman, can I have your attention…PLEASE!’ should remind you of those happy summer days your spent you with us! It is a phrase that has become part of the Whitgift Summer School furniture and a great way to grab students’ attention, especially when attempting to organise the students into their respective houses. ‘Houses?’ I hear you say! Reader, please continue as I explain the wonder of the Whitgift Summer School ‘House’ system…

As well as being a modern and progressive school, Whitgift is also one of the most traditional British schools in the UK with a variety of characteristics that make it, like many other boarding schools, unique. An example of this is the house system that is used both during the academic year at Whitgift and also at the summer school.

To begin with, what is the house system and how does it work? Essentially, it is a specific group students are assigned to when they join Whitgift Summer School. In their houses, students take part in activities, group work and team building exercises and is a brilliant way for them to have a sense of belonging, loyalty and camaraderie during their time here in south London. It also offers them the chance to have some fun and to engage in some light-hearted competitiveness in sports and other activities. 

Traditionally, houses used to be named after saints, famous alumni or notable regional topics (for example, in many international schools, houses are named after local celebrities as well as people of significance). Other more random names—animals or colours, for example—are also used. At Whitgift Summer School there are a total of 6 houses, all named after UK figures who have made a significant contribution to the world that we know. They were chosen in the hope they would inspire each and every student who attends Whitgift Summer School. They are:

 -Pankhurst (after Emmeline Pankhurst who helped women win the right to vote through the suffragette movement)

-Dickens (after the writer Charles Dickens)

-Orwell (after the writer George Orwell)

-Austen (after the writer Jane Austen, most famous for writing 6 novels)

-Seacole (after Mary Jane Seacole, a heroine of the Crimean War
 
-Turing (after Alan Turing, widely considered to be the father of artificial intelligence

The house system at Whitgift ensures that students who are not necessarily sharing the same room, studying in the same class or taking the same activities, can meet and socialise in an entirely different context. This most notably happens during the house team evening activities that take place on various evenings during the week.  Elsewhere, on a Tuesday and Thursday evening, students have dinner as a house and on the same table (tables are clearly labelled with the house name on them). This is a fantastic opportunity for them to talk to other students that they may not have had the chance to get to know. 
 

Twice a week, students eat in their respective houses.

Our English-speaking students are also involved in the house system meaning that international students have more opportunities to improve their English as well as make new friends from the UK. Added to this, each member of the Whitgift Summer School staff is part of a house, with one member of staff being the ‘House Master’. It truly is an intergenerational affair!

There is, of course, a prize at stake with students able win house points for their respective house. A house point can be awarded for many reasons. Here are a few examples:

-working hard in class, i.e. successfully completing a difficult task/consistently trying their best and showing resilience
-taking responsibility in groupwork in class/activities, i.e. being diplomatic or helping others
-being helpful in the boarding house. i.e. tidying up/being polite/clean (!) bedroom
-being part of the winning house in the ‘whole school event’ activity i.e. in capture the flag/egg protector challenge

The above list is not exhaustive, and students can win house points for any number of acts or deeds that are considered worthy by members of staff. If a student does win a house point, they are handed the physical copy of the house point itself, which they must present at the boarding house reception to a house parent.  In exchange for this, they are given a house point in the colour of their house, which they then insert into the house point calculator, also known as ‘Behemoth’.

 

Students can win house points in team competitions such as the fashion show.

At the end of each week, the house with the most points wins the coveted ‘House Cup’ which is announced at our Friday afternoon graduation ceremony. For some, the main aim of winning the prize is coming out on top, being number 1 and having the honour of lifting the cup itself in front of the other students. As you can see here:

 

 

 

 

However, for others, there is another incentive for winning: Krispy Kreme Donuts. Indeed, the House Cup is more affectionately known here at Whitgift as ‘The Krispy Kreme Cup’ with the winning house not only lifting up the cup, but also receiving two trays’ worth of Krispy Kremes that they can share amongst themselves. For those of you who have tasted these delicious donuts, we are sure you understand why some students are motivated by the thought of devouring one of these delectable treats.

It really was a delight seeing how happy and engaged the students were with the House Cup and the Krispy Kremes. To be honest, I was quite surprised at how competitive the students were at the thought of winning donuts. I don’t need to sugar coat just how much fun our house system can be!